The Aftermath
I carried Zoe past broken glass, out into the storm. She clung to me, shivering, too weak to speak.
We rushed her to the hospital. Doctors confirmed what I feared: severe malnutrition, dehydration, signs of long-term neglect.
The truth came out fast. My parents had been spending the stipend on themselves—luxuries, vacations, things Zoe never saw. To keep her quiet, they locked her away whenever neighbors might ask questions.
The very people I had trusted most had betrayed both me and Zoe in the cruelest way possible.
